Have a few hours before leaving Kyoto Station, or looking for another stop on the day you visit Fushimi Inari? Step into Shizuhamo, a century-old machiya designated by Kyoto City as an Important Kyo-Machiya, and spend that time experiencing Kyoto’s tea culture firsthand. Explore two intimate tea rooms, a traditional mizuya preparation area, and a Japanese garden. Your host will introduce the details that make a tea room special, including the low nijiriguchi entrance and the sunken hearth. Then, use a kettle and bamboo ladle to prepare your own bowl of matcha, served with seasonal sweets from Fushimi. The experience is private for your small group. Chairs are available, so you can enjoy the tea room comfortably even if sitting on tatami is difficult. From Kyoto Station, come via JR Fujinomori Station; from Fushimi-Inari Station, come via Keihan Sumizome Station.